Timeless scenes were set as Canadian R&B maestro Dylan Sinclair returned to Islington Academy Hall, London, on February 4th for the second day of his UK/European tour.
Returning to the city which gave him his ‘favourite show’ to date, Sinclairs' eclectic set saw him perform flawless live renditions of tracks from his new album, as well as revisit the classic tracks from his first two offerings, Proverb, and No Longer in The Suburbs. Blending sounds of his various musical influences - mixtures of R&B, rap, and gospel from the 90’s and early 2000’s - with the distinctive sounds from Toronto, his home city, the JUNO award-winning artist owns a distinctive sound that blends vulnerability, soul, and nostalgia.
The air dense with anticipation, Jordon Manswell (manager and producer) set the tone for a night perfect for R&B lovers with his DJ set, fusing old and new R&B anthems from the likes of artists such as Usher, Summer Walker, Drake, and Brandy to make for a vibe that kept everybody standing, awaiting Sinclair and his new album live, for the first time.
The Filipino-Guyanese singer arrived on stage wasting no time, beginning his set with a surge of energy from the city that awaited his presence with ‘LEMON TREES’, the notable Timbaland-inspired central single from his album. Continuing with tracks from across his discography such as ‘Just Anybody’, ‘NARCISSIST?’, ‘Lifetime’, and ‘SWEET LIFE’, Sinclair’s set was full of vibrancy, the changing colours in the atmosphere reflecting his eclectic discography and agile voice that is able to navigate a range of rhythms and sounds with ease.
Though the night was filled with a collective liveliness, Sinclair also stripped things back by performing gospel-tinged track ‘GOLDEN’, playing the piano himself to the thought-provoking ballad which dissects themes of identity and purpose. ‘Pleasure’ also saw him serenade a fan on stage, his voice slowed and rich with feeling. Followed with ‘IMY’ (an acronym for ‘I miss you’), the crowd was able to enjoy Sinclair’s rich vocals fused with intricate runs, adlibs, and melodies decorating the harmonious piano chords he so effortlessly played.
Saying goodbye after performing ‘FOREVER’, fans stood in their place, demanding ‘one more song’, and one more opportunity to share another moment with the artist, and Sinclair returned to the stage to perform ‘Home’, his hit track from 2020’s Proverb, a long-distance anthem about trust and loyalty. The standout moment saw the singer perform the track with cadence and agility, leaving the London crowd satisfied with his intimate and soul-filled performance. Accompanied by colour-changing lights, Sinclair took hold of the stage and made the night his own, reminding us once more, that R&B is in good hands indeed.
